HERE'S PROOF THAT MARK DANTONIO HAS NEVER "RUN UP THE SCORE" ON MICHIGAN

The charges that Coach Mark Dantonio was somehow "unsportsmanlike" in the 2014 game are slowly fading. People are realizing that such unwarranted charges are little more than the whimpering cries of a dying fan-base. It's just more "stuff" that Michigan supporters throw at the Blue Wall, hoping some of it will stick.

Mark Dantonio has NEVER "run up the score" against UM, no matter how many hissy-fits are thrown by his detractors. Many MSU fans know he hasn't done it, because to some degree, from year to year, we want him to do it but he disappoints us by staying dignified and yes, sportsmanlike.

BASIC FACTS:

• There have been eight (8) total games in which Dantonio has coached MSU against UM.
• Two (2) of those eight were Michigan wins, leaving no option for Dantonio to choose between sportsmanship and extra pounding. Another game was settled in overtime, again, leaving no room for end-game decisions about mercy vs. mauling.
• That leaves five (5) games in which the Spartans held a substantial lead late in the fourth quarter. Those games are listed below.

2008:  MSU wins by 14

2010:  MSU wins by 17

2011:  MSU wins by 14

2013:  MSU wins by 23

2014:  MSU wins by 24

END-GAME DECISION-MAKING:

• 2008 - The Spartans take possession with a 14-point lead at the 1:07 mark of the fourth quarter. Dantonio calls three consecutive kneel-downs to end the game. (Michigan actually used a futile timeout during this series.)
• 2010 - The Spartans take possession with a 17-point lead at the 5:41 mark of the fourth quarter. Dantonio calls ten (10) consecutive hand-offs to Edwin Baker culminating with a kneel-down to end the game. (Michigan used all three timeouts during this series.)
• 2011 - The Spartans take possession with a 14-point lead at the 3:18 mark of the fourth quarter. Dantonio calls six (6) consecutive hand-offs to Edwin Baker to end the game, the last three of which were losses, suggesting that they were up-the-gut runs. (Michigan used a timeout during this series.)
• 2013 - The Spartans take possession with a 16-point lead at the 6:23 mark of the fourth quarter. Dantonio calls six hand-offs to Jeremy Langford, plus one handoff to R.J. Shelton to move the chains twice. The next hand-off to Langford goes 40 yards for the final touchdown. When MSU holds UM and gets the ball back with 2:09 remaining, and the ball in Michigan territory, Dantonio calls for three kneel-downs to end the game.
• 2014 - The Spartans take possession with a 17-point lead at the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter, just after UM scored, made a two-point conversion, and tried an onside kick. Dantonio calls seven hand-offs to Jeremy Langford, who scores on the final carry. (A Michigan player is called for Unsportsmanlike Conduct on the touchdown play.)

SUMMARY OF FINAL MSU DRIVES:

In the five games detailed above, MSU took possession near the end of the game with a two or three score lead. In those games, Dantonio called the following plays:

• 31 hand-offs on basic run plays
• 7 kneel-downs
• 0 passes
• 0 timeouts
• 0 trick plays

In 38 snaps over five games, two touchdowns were scored, both on run-plays. (In the most recent game, the Spartans took possession with a 25-point lead at the 9:01 mark of the fourth-quarter, handing-off six times to Langford, who fumbled on the last carry to give UM the ball. If those plays are added to the total, it's 38 runs plus 7 kneel-downs; 45 plays over five games that resulted in two TDs, both on running plays.)

The evidence is clear and unequivocal.

MSU Head Coach Mark Dantonio has NEVER "run up the score" against Michigan.

Michigan has a history of running up the score. See it HERE.
Michigan really ran it up in 2002. See it HERE


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